Improvement in fire-proof roofs



Fire-Prdof Roofs;

No. 137,038, Patemedmarch18,1a7s.

AM. PHom-urfmsMPH/c aa. Mosso/wels PRacEss) UNITED STATES APATi-:N'T Y DFFICE.

EDWARD S. TOBEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN FIRE-PROOF ROOFS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,035, dated March 18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. TOBEY, of Boston, in the county of Suiiolk and Stat-e of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in the Construction of Buildings, for the purpose of protecting their roofs from iire and preventing a contlagration from spreading from one building another, of which the following is a full, (gl/ear, and exact description, reference being had 4to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of a building, having its roof constructed in accordance with Vmy invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the same. Fig. 3 s a horizontal section on the line .r of Fig. 2.

Many extensive conilagrations have been caused bythe rapid spread ofiire from the roof of one building to -those of the adjoining ones, those buildings provided with Mansard roofs being especially liable to destruction from this cause, owing to the very limited protection afforded `by the materials of which they are usually constructed.

My invention has for its object to render th roof of a store, warehouse, or other building, whether constructed of wood, iron, or other material, absolutely nre-proof; and consists in constructing the entire top of a building so as to form a tank or reservoir for containing water, which, when the building is threatened.

by tire, is admitted through one or more supply-pipes connected with the street watermain or other head of water, each of the supply-pipes being provided with a valve, placed in a convenient position, accessible either from the inside or the outside of the building, or both, one or lnore outlet or discharge pipes having suitable valves being also provided,

whereby the tank or reservoir may be emptied and kept clear of water when no danger exists. l l

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in -which I have carried it out.

In the said drawing, A represents a building which is provided with a flat roof, inclined slightly downward from front to rear. The walls of this building extend up on all sides some distance above the level of the roof, thus forming a large tank or reservoir, B, of which the roof forms the bottom. This roofI prefer to construct of iron plates resting on iron beams, but it may be formed of other suitable materials, if desired. At each corner of the front of the building on the inside, is a vertical supplypipe, b, the lower end of which is connected with the street water-main, while the upper end outlets into the tank B, where it is curved in the form of a goose-neck. Each of Y the pipes b is provided with a valve, c, by openingwhich the water is admitted into the tank B, which can thus be readily filled on the approach of danger from a iire in any adjacent or distant building; and it is obvious that, as the rootI ofthe building is thus entirely covered with water of considerable depth, all liability of lire being communicated thereto is absolutely avoided.

As soon as the tank B is lled, if the valves c are kept ppen, the water will overflow and run down the front and rea-r walls of the building, which can thus be kept wet, affording additional security against fire being communicated on the outside to other portions of the building.

When, for ornamental or other purposes, it

`is found necessary to run the front lor other walls to a considerable height above the roof, suitable slots or apertures d are provided for the escape or overliow of the water, the apertures being placed'at such a height above the surface of the roof as may be deemed most expedient.

The apertures d in either wall may be closed by means of plugs 5, or otherwise, so as to increase the overilow of the water on the side of the building most exposed to the lire.

e e are discharge or outlet pipes by which the tank B can be emptied when danger no longer exists, and through which rain ormeltin g snow can escape. These pipes e, which may be placed inside or outside the building, are intended to be connected with the sewer or drains, and are each provided with a valve,f at the top, operated by a wire, 6, leading down to the rst door or cellar. As, however, these valves might be obstructed and rendered inoperative by ice and snow, so as to allow the water to escape from the tank in case of lire, I'provide each pipe e with a second valve, g, near the bottom of the building, which is intended to be `closed when the tank/s to nennen. .These vanos g are made aeessible either from-the insideor out.

side'oi' the building. In addition to the valves fg woodenp'lugs, secured .by chains, may be provided, to be fitted into the tops-ot' the dis'- charge-pipes in the event of their valves loe-- coming broken or injured, or in case the upper valvef should be kout of order and the discharge-pipe itself should burst or be accidentally broken; and the possibility of knot being able to ll the tank in oase of need, owing to the accidental escape of the water, is thus eifectually guarded against.

The supply and discharge-pipes should, when practicable, be inclosed in masonry to protect them from being injured by tire within the building itself, or from being affected or. ob`

structed by frost.

- My improved roof does notinterfere with the construction of scuttles,which-are often of the utmostimportance,as.they afford a meansof escapeto persons Within the building should egress be cut om When a scuttle is employed it must be provided with` water-tight flanges. or Wallsh, Figs.k 1 and 2, extending up abov-e\ the .line atrwhich. the water overows or es# capes, so as to prevent thewater in the tank from entering the building'. The cover t and -flanges or sides h of the scuttles should be of iron or steel; and, in orderto-protect thecover of thescuttle fromthe action of the heat, I

i provid-e a pipe, k, leading from one-of the snp* ply-pipes bto a point over thecover, wherebya stream of Water may be constantly directed thereon, thus rendering it equally fire-proof yInstead of a number of supply. and discharge pipes, one only of each, of sucient capacity, might be employed, if desired. i 1

It is obvious that the Water may be supplied p kto the tank Bk by pumping from a reservoir or other source when or where the head or press e ure of Water is insufficient or inadequate ktok properly supply the tank, or where there is no water-main from which it can be drawn.

The top of the seattle-covert may be also constructed ina tank `form,so as to hold a given quantity ofwater, lthus making an uniform Water-surface on the roof when the scuttle is closed; or the entire scnttle can be so constructed as to be made Water-tight when closed, and made. of aheight in such a relation to the overoW-openings d d as to be submerged when the Water begins to escape.

I am aware that `roofshave been constructp ed in tank form in order to catch and retaina` supply ot' rainwater, and also that tanks-have t `been placedin: the upper parts ot buildings.

and connected with ksupplyand kdistribution pipes for the purpose of protecting the interior of houses from lire, but these have no effect in protectingyngegenor of a building.. -I f Claims.

What Iclaim as myin'vention, and desire to f secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with ka building having its roof so constructed as Ltoform, a tanker kreservointhe supply-pipes b and` 7c, the dischargepipese, and the slotsor apertures; 61,-

and plugs 5, so as to increase the overiiow of the Water on the side of the building most exposed to the lire, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. r[he pipe lc leading from one of the supply-pipes to a point near or over the scuttle,

substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witness my hand this 25th day of November, A. D. 1872.

EDWARD S. TOBEY.

In presence ot'- P. E. TEsoHEMAenEn, N. W. SrEARNs. 

